A septum may include a thin wall dividing a cavity into two smaller structures. An atrial septum is a wall of tissue separating the left and right atria of the heart. A ventricular septum is a wall of tissue separating the left and right ventricles of the heart. A septal defect may include a perforation or hole in the septum. A septal defect can occur congenitally or by puncturing the septum with a medical device to access a location within the heart.
The femoral artery is an access point for many catheterization laboratory procedures, with a smaller percentage of procedures utilizing venous or radial artery access. Likewise, the atrial septum is a point of percutaneous access for atrial fibrillation therapy, left atrial appendage closure, percutaneous mitral valve repair, and percutaneous mitral valve replacement. In these and other procedures, devices may traverse the atrial septum and, by doing so, may leave a defect or orifice in the atrial septum that cannot close or heal by itself. Therefore, these defects are often closed using devices, such as plugs. However, these devices do not allow for re-access through the septum. Thus a need exists for improved closure devices for closing a septal defect and for re-accessing the left side of the heart in subsequent procedures.